


Incomplete

by magickmoons



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Community: jd_ficathon, First Time, Illnesses, M/M, Off-World, Season/Series 07, Wordcount: 10.000-30.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 04:02:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2255160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magickmoons/pseuds/magickmoons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had only just gotten Daniel back; they were not going to lose him again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Incomplete

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sid/gifts).



> Prompt:  
> 1\. Season 7  
> 2\. First time  
> Optional Request: Aliens Made Them Do It
> 
> Sid, I didn't exactly hit AMTDI, but I did include a variant on that theme. Hope it works for you!
> 
> * * *
> 
> Beta thanks to ivorygates.  
> Additional thanks to princessofgeeks and zeph for read-throughs at various stages.

Jack let himself into his house with a relieved sigh. It had been a long, pointless mission -- lots of making nice with the leaders of a village rumored to have knowledge about the Lost City. He rolled his eyes; the key word there was 'rumor.' The villagers had had a good time though, being exceptionally interested in Daniel, awed at meeting 'One Who Had Ascended.' So on top of the sheer pointlessness of the whole thing, Jack had had to smile and nod while watching what seemed like every inhabitant of the whole planet fawn over Daniel. And while Jack certainly understood the irresistible urge to touch Daniel, even more so since he had returned, _he_ managed to hold it in check; was it so much to ask that these complete strangers do the same? Fortunately, before he blew his top, Carter had invited him to go with her to view the village's irrigation system, which was apparently "an amazing feat of engineering, Sir." Or just a really good example of Carter's ability to read her CO's moods and avoid interplanetary incidents.

Jacket, keys, and wallet were tossed haphazardly on the dining room table as he walked past it, heading for the kitchen and a cold beer. He was idly playing with the bottle cap while he stood in front of the open refrigerator debating leftovers versus takeout when his cell phone rang.

Groaning at the possibility that it was the base calling him back -- and really, was one night off too much to ask? -- he dug his phone out of his pocket. Seeing Daniel's cell number on the display lightened his mood a bit. Even getting called back in went over better when it was Daniel was giving the news, usually because it was a chance to hear all that excitement and on-the-brink-of-a-breakthrough tension in his voice. Although, given the mood Daniel had been in during the debrief, it was more likely that he was looking to hang out and get drunk. That worked for Jack, too.

Jack flipped open his phone. "O'Neill," Jack answered, pulling out the larger of the frozen pizzas, hoping for the hanging out option rather than work.

There was no response. Jack checked to make sure the call was connected. It was.

"Daniel?" he prompted. He could hear the faint sounds of ragged breathing. A thread of tension began to trace along his spine, and he dropped the pizza on the counter.

He raised his voice. "Daniel!"

The breathing got louder, closer to the phone maybe, then there was a deep, shuddering breath. "Jack?" Daniel's voice was a tremulous whisper, laced with confused and pain.

Jack was already moving, reversing his earlier path, grabbing his keys and wallet. "Daniel, talk to me."

What sounded like it might have started out to be words devolved into a moan.

He paused in the hallway, then pivoted into the living room, grabbing the house phone and dialing the base, still trying to get Daniel to respond over the cell.

"Daniel, focus. You've got to tell me what's wrong. Where are you?"

"God, Jack ... hurts ..." Daniel sounded weak and shaky, and it felt like cold needles pricking at Jack's skin. He wasn't even sure that Daniel was responding to anything specific he'd said, or was even aware that the phone was even picking up his words.

The base operator came on the landline, and Jack rattled off the personnel in distress code, ordering security to sweep the base for any sign of Daniel, to start a trace on Daniel's cell phone with medical and security personnel dispatched as soon as his location was confirmed, and for Teal'c and Carter to report to the infirmary to get checked out immediately.

He was heading for the truck as soon as he hung up, the house phone dropped somewhere on his way to the door. He pulled out of the driveway and headed for Daniel's house. Daniel had signed out about half an hour before Jack had left the base, and while it was possible that he'd gone back in the meantime, Jack was playing the odds. If Daniel was on-base, they would find him; if he was at home, Jack could be there quicker than anyone from the SGC. He just prayed that tonight wasn't the night that Daniel decided to resurrect whatever social life he'd had before Kelowna, because Jack didn't have a clue where that would leave him.

The duration of the ride to Daniel's was measured by those uneven breaths over the phone, each one taking Jack on another step of an unwelcome trip through the past:

...Daniel's shoulder blown away on the floor of Apophis' ship  
...shaking through hours of withdrawal from the damn sarcophagus  
...drugged and losing his mind to Machello's little bugs  
...radiation slowly eating its way through Daniel's body

Tightening his hands on the wheel, Jack steeled himself against the pain and fear that was pouring through the phone. He voiced a constant stream of reassurances he wasn't sure Daniel could hear that help was on the way. They had only just gotten Daniel back; they were not going to lose him again.

As he drove, he considered the possibilities of what he might be walking into. He discarded the idea of an attack by the rogue NID wanting to get their hands on Daniel's ascended knowledge; if the NID went after Daniel, he doubted very much that Daniel would have gotten a call out. A contagion brought back from the mission was always a distinct possibility; but Jack felt fine, and Carter and Teal'c had seemed okay when he left. He refused to consider random street crime, home invasion -- to lose Daniel to that type of senseless violence might just break what little sanity Jack had left after all these years.

He parked across the street from the small one-story rambler Daniel was currently renting and sprinted toward the house. The porch was dark. Light shining from the living room window showed no movement.

The doorknob turned easily under Jack's hand, and he stepped inside cautiously. Daniel's bag sat just inside the door, his keys on the floor beside it. "Daniel," Jack spoke quietly into the phone as his eyes swept the empty foyer and living room. "I'm here."

He wished for Daniel's old open floor-plan apartment as he cleared the kitchen and the office. There was no sign of anyone else having come in with Daniel, no signs of struggle, no blood. Of course, there weren't any signs of Daniel having made himself at home either.

A sliver of light shone through the doorway of the master bedroom; Jack followed it through the darkened bedroom to the attached bathroom. Jack was simultaneously relieved and terrified to find Daniel sitting on the tile floor, slumped against the wall. His phone lay in his right hand which was resting in his lap. His eyes were closed, lashes dark against his ashen skin, and he was so still that for one very long second, Jack was sure of the worst until he saw Daniel's chest expand, and heard the soft, "Jack."

He crouched down to assess Daniel's condition, disconnecting their call in order to call in to confirm that help was on the way. _Five minutes out, Colonel._ Daniel's skin was clammy, eerily cool beneath dried sweat. His pulse was racing, and when he opened his eyes, his pupils were blown huge, unable to focus.

Jack wet a washcloth and knelt back down to gently wipe Daniel's face and neck. Slowly, Daniel's breathing started to return to normal, and he blinked several times as he looked around the bathroom. Finally, his gaze on Jack, and Daniel dredged up a weak smile that only served to draw attention to how exhausted he looked.

"Hey," Jack said quietly. "You back?"

Daniel pulled in a deep, slightly wheezy breath, then coughed. "Water?"

Jack filled the cup sitting on the sink and handed it to Daniel. Daniel's hands were shaking, but he managed to get it to his mouth without spilling too much. Jack wasn't sure he even noticed the dampness.

"Better." Daniel nodded, then shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Jack asked, making himself comfortable on the floor next to Daniel.

Daniel dropped his eyes briefly, then shrugged. "I couldn't think of anyone else to call."

"You can always call, Daniel." It hurt to think that Daniel didn't know that, didn't remember the late night calls after missions gone wrong, when nightmares or insomnia fought off the sleep they so desperately needed. Or maybe Daniel remembered too much from the time before his Ascension and didn't trust their friendship anymore; Jack hadn't been the best friend to him back then.

"I just felt so... but I'm doing better now. It was probably something I ate."

Jack just nodded. From the front of the house came the sound of a door opening, and a voice called for their location. Jack replied, trying not to shout in Daniel's ear, then looked at Daniel who was staring at him incredulously.

"Oh, tell me you didn't."

And his tone was so very Daniel that for a minute Jack almost thought the emergency response was overkill. Then he remembered Daniel's voice on the phone, the way he had looked when Jack arrived, and stood up out of the way of the medics.

"It's standard procedure, Daniel. You know that."

He listened to Daniel grouse as they took his vitals, watched Daniel jerk his head away from the penlight. Jack added his two cents when all Daniel would tell them was that he had felt sick for a bit. In the end it took the combined force of Jack's stubbornness, and the medics' authority as Janet's proxy, and finally a threat to call the formidable doctor herself to get Daniel to agree to return to the SGC for a check-up.

Jack watched the ambulance pull away, then went through the house, making sure everything was closed up, turning off the timer on the coffee maker. He locked up and headed back to the SGC, hoping that Fraiser would have some answers.

When he finally arrived at the infirmary, after changing back into his BDUs and checking in with Hammond, the first thing he noticed was Daniel lying on a bed at the far end of the room, closest to Fraiser's office and the surgery. It was hard to miss the well-ordered chaos around his bed. The doctor was issuing orders to a number of nurses and orderlies crowded around the bed, and there were more wires and machines attached to Daniel than Jack felt entirely comfortable with. Daniel himself was pale and listless, maybe asleep, maybe unconscious again.

Jack forced his eyes to Teal'c and Carter who were sitting side by side on a bed at the nearer end of the floor. Both looked worried, but perfectly healthy.

"How are you guys doing?" he asked, because he needed to know, and because he needed the distraction; Fraiser would kick his ass if he intruded on the medical scene at the other end of the room.

Carter shrugged, her eyes straying to Daniel. "I feel fine, Sir."

"As do I, O'Neill."

"Yeah, me too." Jack nodded as he took a seat on the next bed and took off his jacket. Fraiser was already heading his way.

"So, what is it, Doc?"

She frowned. "At this point, all I can say it that, whatever it is, Daniel is the only one exhibiting symptoms. Some of what he experienced sounds similar to anaphylaxis, but that's not something that just gets better without medical intervention. Still, I have people checking his car and house for possible triggers.

"He was very agitated when they brought him, and he was running a high fever just a few minutes ago. We're treating the symptoms for now, until we have the results of his blood work. I also need to run blood tests on all of you, just in case you were exposed to something on the planet."

The three of them nodded and rolled up their sleeves. Fraiser returned to Daniel's bed while a nurse took their blood. The activity around Daniel seemed to quiet after a minute, and ten minutes later, he was sitting propped up against some pillows, looking wrung out, but alert.

Jack grabbed a piece of wall nearest to Daniel's bed and leaned there. While Carter and Teal'c talked to Daniel, he took a visual inventory: still pale; still shaky, but not as bad as earlier; pupils too large; but his voice was stronger, and his mood seemed to be good as he smiled and nodded at his teammates' conversation.

Then General Hammond came in, and after another round of 'How are you feeling?' they got down to a second debrief, focusing mostly on the time that the team had been split up, and the ritual that Daniel had apparently participated in.

"I thought you said they showed you the temple," Jack accused.

"Well, they did. But then they asked... It seemed harmless."

Jack scowled. "You participated in a ritual with a new culture. You know how I feel about that, Daniel."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yes, Jack. God forbid I sit still while someone else talks for a bit. It had to do with my coming back from... Anyway, it was just a simple blessing, some kind of celebration of life. You know, it's interesting, the word that they used doesn't seem to have a direct translation, but it was definitely about welcoming me back to this existence."

Fraiser stepped in before Jack could say exactly what he thought about that. "Tell us more about the ritual. Were you exposed to any foreign substances?"

Daniel sighed and thought. "Um, well, there was incense, but Teal'c was there for that too." He shrugged. "I'm sorry, I can't think of anything."

"What about the oils, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.

"What oils?" Daniel looked at Teal'c blankly.

"I cannot be certain. Several of the priests seemed to anoint their hands with an oil before they touched you."

"Touched you, Daniel?" Jack couldn't keep the edge out of his tone and hoped it would pass for annoyance or worry.

Daniel hands twitched briefly as he looked at Jack, concern shadowing his expression. "Yeah, there was some sort of blessing. I remember they touched me here," he indicated his base of his throat. "And here," pointing to the back of each hand.

Daniel held Jack's gaze, while Fraiser leaned in to examine his hands more closely. "I can't see any residue, but we'll swab it just in case." She motioned for a nurse. "Is there any possibility that we could obtain a sample of the oil?"

"Teal'c and I could go back, General," Carter offered.

Jack felt like he should make some token protest that he should go with the team, or leave one of the others here with Daniel instead. He was saved making that decision by Hammond's agreement to Carter's plan.

The general, Carter, and Teal'c took their leave with various words of encouragement to Daniel. Fraiser and her nurse swabbed Daniel's hands and chest, adjusted a couple of the monitors, and withdrew to run their tests.

"So, I guess it's just you and me, huh?" Jack said, settling himself into the plastic chair sitting to the side of Daniel's bed. No matter how many times he suggested to Fraiser that she get some comfortable chairs for infirmary visitors, it was always the same, small, butt-numbing chairs that greeted them. 

Daniel smiled tiredly at him, eyes already closing. "That's good," he mumbled.

Jack raised an eyebrow. "What's good, Daniel?" But Daniel was already halfway to sleep, his smile slipping into a neutral mask as his breathing evened out.

Jack occupied himself timing the mission out in his mind: fifteen minutes prep, ten minutes or so to get through the gate procedures, a twenty minute walk to the village. That's where it got sketchy. The planet had its own version of Daniel, a guy named Walaak, who had been taking turns with Daniel in translating. A simple conversation was taking twice as long as normal on their earlier visit. It was going to take his team some time to make sure they were all on the same page. Jack estimated that the whole thing would take a minimum of three to four hours before they were back on base. He eyed the bed next to Daniel for a minute before giving in. If there was one thing he had learned, it was to get sleep when he could.

Two hours later, Fraiser woke him up. She smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Colonel. We're moving Daniel to an iso room."

He looked over sharply to where Daniel was sleeping in much the same manner as he had been. She shook her head. "It's not him. SG-11 has just been brought back, they were caught in a cave-in. It's going to get a little noisy in here. I just think that Daniel will do better away from the commotion."

Daniel woke as they were relocating him, panic spreading across his face as his eyes opened onto moving walls and ceiling. Jack laid a hand on his shoulder, and leaned into his vision. "Hey. Just upgrading the accommodations."

Daniel nodded, but stayed alert and wary until they had him settled into the isolation room, which Jack was happy to see had also been equipped with a cot. Once everything was hooked up and double-checked, and everyone had left again, Jack asked, "So, you awake now?"

Daniel thought for a moment, his eyes glued to Jack's, his hands twisting in the thin sheet. Then he shook his head.

"Go ahead and get some more sleep, then." Jack waited a few minutes to see if Daniel really would fall back asleep. Daniel's lack of interest in his condition was a little disconcerting, as was the fact that Daniel hadn't once asked for his laptop, or 'just one report' from his desk. He tried to put it down to the sedatives that were surely in the IV drip.

Forcing down the worry, planting his confidence in Carter and Teal'c, Jack looked around the room. All the rooms on this corridor were pretty much identical, but he was thankful that it wasn't the same room as after Kelowna. Shaking the unwanted memories off, he stretched out on the narrow cot, giving himself one more hour of sleep.

Daniel was awake and staring at Jack when he woke up. The look of relief when he saw Jack's eyes open made Jack wince; the whole point of staying had been so that Daniel wouldn't have to wake alone. Jack sat up and stretched, giving Daniel a quick once-over. All the machines were making their noises in nice, even patterns, and Daniel looked better, but definitely worried.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked him.

Daniel looked around the room, then back at Jack. "Is this... Are you sick too?"

"No, no." Jack got up and walked over to Daniel's bed. Daniel had been pretty out of it when they moved him. "I'm fine. And nothing's changed with you. The doc just had a pretty full infirmary and figured you'd get more rest here."

Daniel's eyes flicked back to the cot. Jack shrugged. "It is getting on to the middle of the night. I'm not as young as I once was, you know. Need a nap every now and then."

Daniel smiled. "So no difference then?"

"Okay, now I know you're feeling better," Jack groused. Before he could say anything else, there was a knock at the door, and a young lieutenant peeked in.

"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter and Teal'c have returned. General Hammond has asked that you and Doctor Fraiser report to the briefing room, Sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." He glanced down at Daniel. "You'll be okay for a bit?"

Daniel nodded. "I think I can manage."

#

Fraiser was finishing up her report on SG-11 when Jack slid into the empty chair next to Hammond. No fatalities, no career-ending injuries, but some significant recovery time required for a couple of them. Jack made a mental note to stop by and visit them once they had this thing with Daniel under control.

"Thank you, Doctor," the general acknowledged her report. "Now, what can you tell us about Doctor Jackson's case?"

"The good news is that the rest of SG-1 seem to be unaffected. All of their blood tests came back clean. I've got the lab running some tests on the substances Major Carter and Teal'c brought back now.

"As for Daniel, there's been little change in his physical condition in the past few hours. He's continuing to exhibit symptoms of mild shock and exceedingly high levels of certain neurotransmitters. He is showing signs of confusion periodically. I've requested that one of my staff sit with him while we are up here." That last was directed primarily to Jack.

Hammond nodded and turned to the other side of the table. "Major Carter, Teal'c, were you able to learn anything on the planet?"

Carter shook her head. "No, Sir. We spoke to the priests who performed the ritual, as well as the village healer, and they say they've never seen a reaction like this. They are quite concerned actually; they really like Daniel."

"And what did they tell you about the ritual itself?"

"They declined to share that information. Instead, they requested that Daniel Jackson return to the planet so that they may visualize him," Teal'c added. 

"Visualize, Teal'c?" Jack questioned. "I think you mean..."

"No, Sir," Carter cut him off. "As far as we could work out through Walaak" _and without Daniel,_ "that is the closest translation we could find. They don't just want to see him or examine him." She shook her head, at a loss. "It seemed to be something more mystical," she added reluctantly.

"But they weren't able to give you any hope that they might have a solution."

"No, General. I believe that they honestly are as perplexed as we are," Carter added with an apologetic smile at the doctor.

Hammond was silent for a moment. "Doctor Fraiser, how high a risk would it be, and would it be worth it, to allow Doctor Jackson to return to the planet and allow these people to, well, 'visualize' him?"

"I really can't say how much of a risk it poses, General. If there is an allergen on the planet which has triggered some type of atypical reaction, sending him back could cause more damage. On the other hand, if it was something connected with the ritual, either physically or not, they may be the only ones who can help him."

"None of our tests on the atmospheric conditions revealed any allergens or substances not generally found here or on other planets we've visited."

"Excuse me, General. Doctor, you wanted the results right away." Fraiser took the proffered folder and nodded her thanks.

They waited while Janet looked through several pages. "The incense seems to be innocuous, but the oil does contain several compounds that we can't identify." She raised her eyebrows. "One seems to be similar in chemical structure to MDMA."

"Ecstasy," Teal'c clarified, remaining impassive as four pairs of eyes stared at him in various levels of shock and surprise.

Drawing in a deep breath, Fraiser nodded. "Yes. It's not an exact match, but has enough similar properties that it could be responsible for some of the effects we're seeing, although there is no sign of it in Daniel's blood work, nor is Earth-based MDMA able to be absorbed through the skin. There are also several symptoms that are in no way related to what we know of that; possibly they could be due to the unidentified compound. 

"But you say that none of the people on the planet have experienced anything like this." She looked up at Teal'c and Carter.

"No one, Doctor Fraiser. They are quite concerned."

"Well, frankly, so am I." She looked down at the test results again. "Given that his exposure was over 12 hours ago, I would think that we would see some improvement as the substance is metabolized, but Daniel's latest test results are showing his acetylcholine and dopamine levels continuing to rise."

A slight cough from the stairs drew their attention to Walter. "Excuse me, but they are requesting Dr. Fraiser and Col. O'Neill in the isolation ward."

Jack was dimly aware of Hammond nodding their dismissal as he pushed through the doorway, Fraiser hot on his heels.

They heard Daniel, cursing and screaming, before they rounded the final corner. _If he can yell, he's not dead,_ Jack thought.

"Jack!" Daniel's voice momentarily rose about the other voices and the sounds of wildly beeping machines and struggle.

They entered the room to find it as chaotic as it had sounded on approach. Two nurses were trying to restrain Daniel as he fought to get to the doorway. Alarms were going off from the machines he had managed to disconnect himself from. Other staff members were staying out of the way, but talking to Daniel, trying to calm him down.

"What did you do to him?" Daniel yelled, tugging an arm free with surprising strength, given that he currently looked nearly as bad as he had when Jack found him at his house.

Fraiser's voice cut sharply through the commotion. "Daniel, stop this!"

He stilled, stopped pushing forward, but refused to give any ground. "Janet?" he gasped, heaving deep breaths. "Where's Jack?"

Jack took advantage of the sudden calm to step into Daniel's line of sight. He forced what he hoped was a reassuring smile onto his face. "Hey, Daniel. I'm right here."

Daniel's eyes snapped to Jack instantly, examining him closely. Jack had seen him do that before, whenever they were separated under enemy restraint, ever since the time they'd found out after the mission that Jack had been concealing injuries he'd sustained under interrogation.

Daniel shook his head, disbelieving Jack's apparent good health. "I thought they," he stopped and frowned in confusion, his arms relaxing from their defensive posture.

"Just went to a meeting, Daniel. Remember?" Jack tilted his head and held out his arms. _Look at me, Daniel. I'm fine._

Daniel nodded slowly, relaxing a bit more until one of the nurses started toward him again. He tensed, readied for the fight to continue. His eyes never left Jack, but Jack could see the wheels turning in Daniel's mind, running escape scenarios.

"Hey Doc," Jack said, keeping his voice light. "It's kind of crowded in here, don't you think?"

She nodded. Matching Jack's tone and volume, she ordered, "Everybody out." The door closed gently behind the last one out.

With the perceived threat removed, they only just made it to Daniel's side before he crumpled. Jack could feel Daniel's skin burning through the thin fabric of the hospital gown. They slowly maneuvered him back onto the bed.

The doctor busied herself reconnecting Daniel to the monitors, securing his IV, and making note of his vitals. Jack picked up the overturned plastic chair, set it in its proper place by the bed, and sat.

Daniel was still watching him, his eyes half-shut. He reached a hand halfway toward Jack, then he blinked, slowly, and again, and was asleep, his hand dropping against the mattress softly.

Jack looked over at Fraiser, who frowned at the monitors. "Colonel, I don't know what else to do. He's getting worse, and I honestly don't know how many more of these episodes his body can handle."

Jack swiped a hand across his face, trying to erase the tension. "You think we should take him back to the planet?"

She winced. "I'm not thrilled at the idea of removing him from medical care, but we've done all we can do. If there's any chance at all that they can help him." She paused and Jack tried not to notice that her eyes were a little glassy. "Well, it may be his only chance."

"Back to the planet it is, then."

Jack didn't want to take the chance of leaving Daniel's side again, so he put the abbreviated mission prep in Carter's very capable hands. An hour later, they were in the gateroom, Fraiser hovering to the side with a wheelchair that she'd insisted Daniel use despite his protestations that he felt better again. Jack was pretty sure that Daniel had given in on that one in order to win their second argument, determined to walk through the gate on his own two feet. Carter had a pack full of medical supplies and a crash refresher in treatment of unknown illness from Fraiser. Teal'c stood near enough to Daniel to support him if necessary, far enough away to not crowd him: a very fine line when it came to Daniel, but one they'd all learned years ago.

Jack nodded to the control room, accepted Hammond's 'God speed,' and they were off.

#

A small group of locals was waiting to meet them as they exited the event horizon, most of whom Jack recognized as the priests and/or mystics who had presumably performed the ritual on their first visit, as well the translator, Walaak. As his team approached, the expressions on the faces of the priests fell through an array of emotions, most notably confusion and dismay. They began chattering among themselves in the strangely rhythmic language that fascinated Daniel; even now, Jack could see him listening, analyzing, and cataloging.

The priests withdrew to the other side of the clearing to hold a quick, hushed conversation, a mass of brown robed figures casting frequent worried looks at Daniel, which did nothing to assuage Jack's worry. Although Daniel seemed to be as fine as he claimed to feel, sitting on the edge of the platform holding the Stargate, Jack was well aware of how quickly that could turn around, and he resented the delay. On some level, he had been hoping for a miracle cure -- a pill or a chant or even another ritual -- that would set Daniel right.

After several minutes of Carter hovering anxiously around Daniel, and Teal'c not-quite-glaring at the priests, they seemed to come to some consensus, and Walaak walked over to speak to Daniel. Daniel stood as he approached, the rest of SG-1 falling into place easily around him.

"The elders want you to return with them to the shrine." He glanced at the other members of SG-1. "You will be staying?"

"You bet your," Daniel's elbow in Jack's side amended his statement. "Yes, we're staying," he said firmly.

Walaak nodded and gestured for SG-1 to follow the priests already impatiently waiting at the pathway to the shrine, heading off at a right angle to the village path. From what Jack understood, the temple where they had performed the original ritual was located in the village. Walaak proudly explained, occasionally helped by Daniel, that the shrine they would now visit was the center of his people's religious life, and that many of the outlying villages sent their chosen to study here before returning to take their place as the spiritual leader of their particular village. He counted Daniel very fortunate that there were so many acolytes in training at this point, that Daniel would get the benefit of so much knowledge.

Jack just grumbled that they might have mentioned that the ritual was an on-the-job training exercise. Daniel flashed him an impatient glance when he overheard him, and Jack grinned back, happy to be getting standard Daniel reactions finally.

It wasn't long before they began to see cultivated fields, and shortly after that a series of buildings. As they passed each, Walaak quietly described its function: kitchen, private meditation, group meditation, and so on. They were big on the meditation here, apparently.

They hadn't pinned down exactly who or what these guys worshipped on their first visit. The Goa'uld who had claimed this planet for its own was long gone, more myth than memory. Daniel had thought that their values had a lot in common with some of the nature-based belief systems they had encountered, but had had a hard time establishing a common frame of reference. Teal'c had commented quietly to Jack that they reminded him greatly of the Jedi from Star Wars. The two of them had looked at each other for a moment before silently agreeing not to mention that to Daniel.

They were led into the largest of the buildings, where apparently most, if not all, of the dozen priests lived during their training. Most of their escort broke off from the group at various points once they had entered, finally leaving only four priests, Walaak, and the team heading down a hallway.

Walaak opened a door and said, "Daniel, you will be here."

Looking past the translator, Jack saw a spartan bedroom: one bed, one chair, no windows. He raised his eyebrows as the four priests filed in and turned to Daniel, expectantly. Before he could say anything, Walaak smiled at the rest of them.

"The room next has been prepared for you."

"No," Jack said flatly, even as Daniel's attempt to enter the room was halted by Teal'c's hand on his arm and Carter's quietly admonishing 'Daniel.'

The priests looked at Walaak, and Walaak looked at Jack, confused.

"At least one of my team is going to be with Daniel at all times," Jack explained as reasonably as he could. And Jack was going to do everything in his power to make sure that team member was him. He wasn't leaving Daniel alone, not that it had done them much good the first time around.

Walaak shook his head. "They desire only to question, to learn, so that we may help."

"That's fine," Jack answered. "That's great. Why we're here, in fact. But not alone."

He was aware of Daniel's eyes on him and was not in the least surprised to hear, "I think maybe it would be better if I did this alone, Jack. There may be questions --" Daniel paused, while he tried to pick out the right word.

Questions to which Daniel didn't want Jack to hear the answers. Jack really didn't want to think about why not, so he just plowed ahead.

"None of which I'm going to understand anyway. You know enough of the language to talk directly to the priests, and if, for some unlikely reason, you need Walaak to clarify something, I'll just hum real loud. You won't even know I'm there; I'll just be standing in a corner making sure you don't go catatonic on us again."

Daniel's near-eyeroll showed what he thought of the chances of Jack remaining unobtrusive, but he reluctantly nodded.

Jack actually took position up closer to the doorway than a corner -- never assume that the friendly natives are as friendly as they appear -- and sent Carter and Teal'c on to the next room; seven people in this one room was already exceeding maximum capacity.

Daniel stood in the center of the room, where he had stopped when he walked in. The elders circled around him, and Walaak standing midway between Jack and the group, listening intently. It was mostly the priests talking at Daniel. It sounded explanatory at the beginning, but Jack could pinpoint the exact moment that they started asking questions. Daniel's answers were terse and clearly unsatisfactory. As the questioning continued, Daniel closed in on himself, jaw set, shoulders tense and hunched, the familiar self-hug finally making its unwelcome appearance.

He continued answering their questions in his quiet, calm voice. Jack might not understand the words, but he did understand that the priests were getting frustrated, and he suspected that Daniel was withholding some information. Then Daniel was shaking his head, holding up his hands palms out in a stop gesture, and sat quietly on the side of the bed, staring at the floor.

Walaak gestured to Jack that the priests wanted to talk to him outside. Hearing the door open, Teal'c appeared from the next room, Carter immediately behind. Jack sent her in to check on Daniel while they talked.

Walaak translated for the elders. "We are unable to help. He holds his secret back. They see the," he made a gesture, searching for a word to explain. "The pain growing in him, but he will not help."

The priests were pretty agitated by now too. Jack knew how they felt; dealing with a stubborn Daniel was no picnic. "Okay, that's something he does. We'll just circle back around to that in a bit," Jack replied, glossing right over Walaak's confused look. "Why don't you start by telling me what this ritual thing was supposed to do?"

"It is the Ceremony of Welcome," Walaak made a face, then corrected himself. "Of Return. Our people use it after a long absence, to bond the returned to his home."

"Sounds like a good thing," Jack encouraged Walaak to continue. "So your people do this ceremony, and then what happens?"

Walaak spoke slowly, choosing each word with a care that Jack both appreciated and resented. "After, the returned seems to be drawn to things that are most central to their life. For most, it is usually a person, a mate. For some, it is their job, or simple reflection."

"And did you happen to mention any of this to Daniel before the ritual?"

"No. One must choose one's own path. We did not want to interfere."

The priests seemed strangely unaffected by Jack's glare. "We're gonna talk about this later," he promised. Turning back to Walaak, "So, work you said?" He was grasping at straws, but no one could argue that Daniel's work wasn't important to him.

He gave a hesitant nod. "Sometimes."

"Well then, all we need to do is get Daniel back to his books, and he'll be A-OK." Jack was half-serious when he spoke, but he was surprised by the fleeting burn of disapproval on Teal'c's face. He remained silent, though.

Walaak spoke instead. "I do not think so, Colonel O'Neill. When they look at Daniel, they see that it is a person that Daniel needs to complete his bond to this life."

A chill ran through Jack at the idea that somehow Daniel wasn't fully back with them, that he could disappear at any moment -- a recurring theme in the dreams Jack had had the first few weeks after finding him on Vis Uban.

"Well, he's got us, his team. We're practically family," Jack avowed.

"We were with him for several hours following the ritual," Teal'c agreed. "Daniel Jackson did not become ill until after he had left our presence."

Walaak looked thoughtful and turned to consult with the priests. When he turned back to Jack and Teal'c, his voice was disappointed. "No. The action between the two is more meaningful than friendship."

_Meaningful,_ Jack mouthed at Teal'c. Of course. He sighed.

"Well, that's going to be a problem, you see. His wife died several years ago."

Walaak turned back to the priests and conveyed that news with dire intonation. The priests seemed surprised, conferring among themselves as if double-checking their data. Then they shook their heads and spoke firmly to Walaak.

"That may be, but they see someone in his life now. They do not understand why he has not bonded with this person, whoever it is."

Jack postponed the flare of jealousy at the idea that Daniel was seeing someone. "So, let me guess. That's the part he's not telling you."

At Walaak's nod, Jack rolled his eyes and stepped past them to the doorway. "Excuse me just a minute," he growled.

He stepped through the door. "Carter, give us the room."

As she approached him, she said quietly, "I was just about to come get you, Colonel. He hasn't said anything, but I think we may be looking at another spike in his symptoms pretty soon."

Behind her, Jack could see Daniel sitting on the bed, eyes closed, leaning against the wall entirely too casually, his breaths too precise and measured. "Understood, Major."

She closed the door behind her.

Jack let out a deep breath as he settled in the chair Carter had vacated. "So, Daniel. You good? You need anything?"

Daniel shook his head. "I'm fine, Jack."

"Okay, then, you mind telling me why you're not helping the nice mystics who are trying to make you better?"

A sad smile flickered across Daniel's face. "There's nothing they can do."

"That's not what they say."

Daniel opened his eyes enough to stare at Jack, tired and amused. Jack grumbled. "Yeah, okay, not them per se, which I think we can all be thankful for. But they told us about the rest of the ritual, the secret home version follow-up."

"Yeah," Daniel drew the word out the way he did when he didn't like what you were going to say, but he was going to let you say it anyway. Jack changed tack just a bit.

"So, I didn't know you were seeing someone."

"I'm not." Hard, edged, don't push me on this. But Jack had to push; he didn't have a choice, because Daniel didn't have a choice. This was the only option currently on the table.

"Interested in someone then. Who is she?"

The rustling of whatever material they used to fill the mattress was loud in the silence as Daniel pushed away from his casual slouch against the wall. He sat on the edge of the bed, still and tense, leaning his elbows on his knees and staring at the floor intently.

"Come on, Daniel. Just tell me who she is," he cajoled.

"So you can do what, Jack?" Daniel's voice was all anger and fear and exhaustion, terrifyingly familiar to Jack from just over a year before.

"I can go back, talk to her, tel her..." He stopped speaking as he tried to figure out what he could say. This was a shit situation all around, and the variables here were complex, to say the least. If whoever she was worked at the SGC, Jack -- her male CO -- speaking to her about having sex with his teammate would probably fall outside of even the SGC's expanded definition of acceptable behavior. If she wasn't part of the program, well, he'd burn that bridge when he came to it.

"Yeah," Jack amended. "Actually, I'd probably get the doc to talk to her. It would be a little, you know, if I..." Jack blew out a breath. He thought bitterly that those holy guys better be right about this.

Daniel tilted his head just enough so that he could see Jack in the top of his vision. "It's not a woman, Jack," he said in a carefully toneless voice.

Not a woman. Not a woman means a man. Jack took a deep breath and nodded slowly. "Okay. I guess I can understand why you wouldn't have said anything in normal circumstances. Although, you know," and Jack was already berating himself for his hypocrisy as his frustration at discovering this side of Daniel now, and under these circumstances, bled through. "No, I don't understand, but we can deal with that later.

"Just tell me who he is."

"No, Jack." Daniel's eyes were back on the floor, his shoulders hunched over blocking out as much of the world as possible. "I'm not going to tell you. This is my problem; I'm not saddling that responsibility on anyone else."

"Dammit, Daniel, you may be willing to take a chance that you'll catch another bounce on the ascended yo-yo, but I'm not, so just tell me."

When Daniel finally looked at him, Jack wished he hadn't. Hopeless eyes topped a twisted smile. "It would be coercion, Jack, no matter how delicately you put it. It boils down to: 'fuck him or he dies.'" He dropped his head again.

"Daniel," Jack started, then found he couldn't push any more words out. Daniel's damn altruism was going to get him killed. Again. Maybe he should just bite the bullet and offer himself. Sex was sex, right? What did the ritual know from love? And Jack could bury the emotional shit, pretend he didn't care. But no, Daniel needed him to be his team leader and his friend right now.

Daniel tensed as Jack stood up, but didn't move, didn't look up. Jack shook his head.

"Please, Daniel, tell me who it is. I can't, I'm not going to let you..."

Whatever he heard in Jack's voice actually got Daniel's attention, and he looked up, concerned. "What, Jack?"

Jack forced the words out. "I can't let you die again."

Daniel's eyes widened for a moment. His straightened up. "No, Jack, you didn't."

"I told Jacob to stop."

"I read the reports; you did it because I asked you to. Jack, I trusted you, and you didn't let me down. Sometimes," he closed his eyes. "Sometimes, there just isn't another choice."

"You want choices, Daniel?" he spat. His skin crawled with frustration. He clenched his hands into fists. "Fine, I'll go back to Earth and get a pro, bring him through the gate. Maybe the sex itself will do something... they probably don't have a clue about what's really going on anyway."

Daniel laughed, short and harsh. "Jack, security would never let..."

"For God's sake, Daniel!" The chair impacted the wall, the sound of cracking wood hitting Jack's ears before he even realized he had pushed it. "You want to bet against me getting through?"

The door opened, and Carter stepped into the room. Her eyes swept over the damaged chair, Daniel's shocked expression, and came to rest on Jack with the accusatory version of her _I know you're my commanding officer, but what were you thinking, Colonel?_ look. Jack hated that look.

"What?" Jack snapped.

"We heard some noise, Sir. Is everything okay in here?"

"We're fine, Major. You can go."

"Yes, Sir," she replied crisply, then turned to Daniel. "Daniel, you need anything?"

Jack stayed quiet and let Daniel answer. The part of him that wasn't seething with frustration at Daniel for his stubbornness and annoyance with Carter for interrupting, was actually grateful to her for looking out for Daniel. This little stunt was just proving to Jack that Ascension and Descension had not changed Daniel's core nature: self-sacrificing at best, self-destructive at the worst; never thinking that his needs, his life even, was worth anyone going out of their way for.

Daniel stopped staring at Jack long enough to smile vaguely at Carter. "It's really fine, Sam."

She hesitated before nodding to both of them. "We'll be right next door," she said as she exited the room again.

Daniel picked up talking as there hadn't been an interruption at all.

"If you do that, Jack, your career would be over. And that's the best case scenario."

Jack was suddenly tired. He'd spent a year pretending not to have an enormous Daniel-shaped hole in his very being. Then they got Daniel back, only not really, between amnesia and constant peril and re-acquainting him with their lives and themselves. And now, Daniel was shooting down every argument, every tactic Jack could suggest to save his life.

He sat down heavily on the bed next to Daniel, close enough that he could feel Daniel next to him, even though they weren't touching. Jack turned his head to look at Daniel, who was watching him silently, waiting.

"You don't get it," Jack said. "I cannot stand by and watch you die again. I will do anything in my power, I will call in every marker, I will take whatever consequences are necessary. You're dying, Daniel. Do you think there is any length I wouldn't go to in order to stop that?"

Daniel stared at him, his eyes searching Jack's face, brow pulled tight in concentration. He winced as a shiver of pain ran through him. Without thinking, Jack laid his hand on top of Daniel's and squeezed gently. Daniel looked down at their hands as he turned his palm up and threaded his fingers through Jack's, holding on tightly.

"Let me think," he said.

So Jack stayed quiet and held Daniel's hand and let him think. He didn't have any other arguments to put forth anyway. After a few minutes, Daniel nodded to himself.

He took a deep breath, and then he said, quietly but clearly, "It's you."

Jack froze, physically bit his tongue to not say any of the dozen inane comments that flooded his mind as a stall tactic. Now Daniel was looking at him, and Jack was staring down at their joined hands and wondering how he could be shocked by this. He didn't spare a second thought to should they or shouldn't they; he had meant what he said, and he would take any repercussions that should come out of this.

"Okay," was all he said.

"Okay?" Daniel questioned.

"Okay."

Daniel huffed. "'Okay,' as in you heard me; 'Okay,' as in you understand me; or you know, okay 'Okay.'"

He looked up to find Daniel staring at him with a devastatingly vulnerable expression, belying the light-heartedness of his words.

"Okay, as in all of the above. I heard you; I understand you, as much as I can ever hope to," Daniel gave him a mock glare at that point, "and yeah, let's do this."

Daniel nervously licked dry lips and nodded, and it was all Jack could do not to lean in and help. But there were a couple of things he needed to take care of first. "Listen, I'm just going to check in with Carter and Teal'c. You stay here?"

"Yeah, yeah." Daniel looked as if he wanted to say more, or maybe to follow Jack, not let him leave. 

Only Walaak and the oldest of the priests were in the hallway when Jack left the room. The smile the priest aimed at Jack bordered on a smirk. "He's sure that this will help?" Jack asked Walaak. 

A short conversation between the two resulted in the interpreter's reply. "It is most likely."

"All right, I'm going to talk to our friends, and then..." He gestured back to what he was thinking of as Daniel's room. Walaak and the priest nodded and smiled enthusiastically. Jack wondered if this could get any more embarrassing, because in the entire, rather lengthy, repertoire of Daniel-fantasies that kept him going, an audience standing outside (god, he hoped it was outside) the door was not high up on the list.

He tapped lightly on the door to the other room and announced himself as he entered. "So, we've got something that we're going to try," he said. "Teal'c, I'd like you to stick around and watch our backs, even though I doubt we're likely to encounter any problems.

"Major, I'd like you to head back to the SGC. Update the doc and Hammond, let them know that we're trying something the priests suggested. An additional part of the ritual that may have been missed. We'll report in or return within 24 hours."

She nodded. "I can be back here in an hour, two at the most, Sir."

"That's not necessary, Carter. You've been awake for almost a day now. Fill them in, then take a nap. Then help Fraiser with her research. If this doesn't work, we're going to need a back-up plan."

"Yes, Sir. Just in case you need these --" She emptied the medical supplies from her kit, leaving them in a neat pile on the bed. "We'll see you in 24 hours."

Jack poked through the supplies, grabbing a couple things and pocketing them, as he listened to Carter knocking on Daniel's door, asking if he needed anything, wishing him luck. Jack couldn't hear Daniel's responses, but the conversation was quick, and the sound of Carter's boots faded down the hallway.

He turned to Teal'c, who was standing and watching Jack silently. 

"I know why you sent Major Carter back. You need not worry. While I am not subject to your regulations, I understand that my words could still cause you difficulty. I will not do so."

"I'm not asking you to lie, Teal'c. Your report can be exactly what you witnessed first hand with a clear conscience."

Teal'c inclined his head slightly, giving Jack the look that always made him feel like a first year cadet. "For my friends to have a chance at happiness, lying would be but a small price."

Jack just nodded and smiled and patted Teal'c on the arm. Every now and then, he would do or say something like that, and Jack just never knew how to respond.

#

When Jack returned to Daniel's room through the thankfully now-empty hallway, Daniel was sitting on the floor, not quite shaking. His color was off, and his breathing too fast, but he looked up at Jack and smiled. Jack paused at the door, half-tempted to call Carter back and tell her to get Fraiser here now.

"Hey."

"Hey," Jack replied slowly. "I sent Carter back to check in, but the supplies Fraiser sent are next door. Let me..."

"No," Daniel waved Jack closer. "Just come, sit with me, please. It feels better when you're here. I just need to rest a bit."

The second thing Jack noticed was that he had to pick his way carefully across the small room to Daniel. In his absence, a number of blankets and rugs had been brought in, stacked in overlapping piles on the floor, which would provide a nicer location for them than the narrow (and noisy) bed for what they were about to do. There was also a tray filled with little dishes of brightly colored food and drinks. These guys were pretty good hosts, even if they were a little suspect on their ritual etiquette.

Daniel closed his eyes as Jack removed his tac vest, jacket and boots, stacking them neatly in the corner next to Daniel's vest and boots, then settled himself down on the floor beside Daniel. This close, Jack could see the slight winces of pain, hear the wheeziness of Daniel's breathing. He slid an arm carefully around Daniel's shoulders, pulling him close.

"You sure you don't want me to get you anything? Water, pain meds, other... meds?" 

Daniel shook his head against Jack's shoulder. "No. Honestly, it's already -- Oh, of course." He let out of huff of startled laughter.

"Care to share, Daniel?" Jack stroked Daniel's upper arm, his palm sweeping the unfamiliar muscles under the rough fabric of the BDU jacket. The sudden disparity between Jack's years-long self-imposed restraint that had existed even half an hour ago hitting up against the knowledge of what Jack could do now -- had to do now -- had his head half-spinning.

Daniel didn't say anything at first, and Jack wasn't going to push. Not when he could feel Daniel relaxing into him, feel his breathing slow and deep and even. They had all the time in the world -- well, 24 hours at least -- and Jack wanted to take advantage of each and every second. So he just held Daniel and let himself enjoy the soft buzz that he always experienced when they were close.

After a minute, Daniel spoke. "I think that it's been you, not the meds. I mean, they helped, I guess. But every time it got bad, it was when I wasn't near you. When it got really bad was when we were apart for an extended period of time. But as soon as you were nearby..." Daniel's shoulder shrugged into Jack's hand.

He thought about it, and yeah, the timing did match up. "Huh," he commented. "So, the way Walaak explained it to us, the honoree of this ritual is kind of pulled to whatever, or whoever, it is that will help them complete the ritual."

"Yeah," Daniel confirmed. "That's what they told me."

"Were you?"

"Was I what?"

"Pulled. To me."

Daniel took a deep breath. "Yes, I was."

Jack rolled his eyes. "And you didn't say anything because stubborn is such a good look on you?"

Daniel pushed off of Jack and half turned to face him. He already looked much better again, except for that incredulous look he sometimes gave Jack. "What, I was supposed to stop you after the debriefing, maybe even follow you home and say, 'You know Jack, I've... wanted you for years, with or without my memories, but right now I've got to have your cock in my mouth, or I think I'll die'? You'd have beat the shit out of me."

Molten heat spread from Jack's lower spine, prickling along his thighs, tingling around his balls, his cock. Getting his breathing under control, he turned to look directly at Daniel. "That would be one of the top five -- No." He shook his head. "Definitely one of the top two most erotic things anyone has ever said to me. The only problem with that scenario would be me remembering to close the door before we got into it."

Daniel tilted his head and looked up at Jack quizzically. "Really?" he asked quietly.

Jack pulled back in surprise because _Duh, yes, really_. Daniel was watching him, his skin flushed in a really, very good way, his eyes intent with desire but cautious, maybe even confused.

"Oh yeah," Jack said, leaning in to show Daniel. He kept the kiss a lot gentler than the fantasy he had already begun spinning off Daniel's scenario, in deference to Daniel's health, but Daniel was having none of that, twisting his body to get better access to Jack's mouth, moving the kiss rapidly from hot to scorching. It had been a long time since Jack had kissed someone, longer still since that someone was male, and Jack gave back as good as he got, and for a minute it was a glorious, hot, wet battle, until finally with a deep-throated whine, Daniel pulled himself across and straddled Jack, leaning down into the kiss, demanding, taking what he needed. Jack ceded control and just held on for the ride. Daniel held his face gently but firmly, positioned his mouth just so as he kissed and licked and sucked and whispered _Fuck, oh God, I need this, need you, Jack, oh fuck_ , urgent pleas which Jack swallowed down whole.

He groaned as Daniel settled his weight more solidly onto him, his thighs bracketing Jack's hips, shifting until Jack felt Daniel's hard cock brush against his own. Then Daniel was rolling his hips to rub them together oh so slowly, such a different feel from the urgent, needy kisses that were still going on. Jack wanted to grab Daniel's hips and pull him down, ignite the flame all at once, but this was Daniel's show -- this time -- and Jack settled for divesting Daniel of his jacket and working his hands up underneath his t-shirt, feeling skin and muscle and bone, warm and mobile and alive.

Daniel scrabbled at Jack's shirt, couldn't reach the hem and started bunching it, lifting it inch by inch, not breaking the kiss until the last minute, fabric pulled up between their barely parted lips. Daniel rested his forehead against Jack's, their heavy breaths mixing between them. He chuckled. "I kind of wish I had followed you home now." His voice was low, soft, and full of promise, and he ran one hand down Jack's chest, making circles and patterns that left blazing trails of heat behind.

It took Jack a moment to be sure enough of his voice to reply. "Keep that in mind for the future." Because there would be a future. He'd been willing to give up everything to keep Daniel alive, and he was still willing, because he hadn't seen or felt Daniel this happy -- this alive -- in years.

"The future?"

Jack idly thrust up against Daniel as he nodded, enjoying the way Daniel's eyes drifted half-closed at the contact.

"So, like stress relief?" Daniel bit his lip as if he hadn't meant to ask the question. Beneath the arousal, he looked distinctly unhappy.

Jack stopped moving his hips. He rested his hands against Daniel's neck, feeling the blood pumping beneath the skin, the light stubble his thumbs just brushed on the upstroke.

_Stress relief?_ How was that even a question? Daniel stared down at him, his expression surprisingly vulnerable, and Jack saw. It was a question because this was Daniel, who loved with his whole being, who had been forced into an admission that he would have preferred never to make. And this was Jack, who had still been wearing the mantle of command when he had said 'Okay,' and 'Let's do this,' who had shown his lust but not...

"You're not alone here, Daniel." And dammit, that was just as vague as everything else, except maybe it wasn't because the tension drained from Daniel's face, leaving it soft and wanting and trusting.

Jack leaned up and kissed him softly, gently, the way he should have to begin with. He couldn't say the words, not here, not yet, but he could show Daniel, through touch and through action, that this wasn't just about responsibility or even lust. Jack closed his hand gently over Daniel's where it had tightened on his chest. He cupped Daniel's head with his other hand, threading his fingers through Daniel's hair.

Daniel's mouth was pliant under Jack's now, less demanding, letting Jack explore at his leisure. He called up long-forgotten techniques as he stroked first his lips, then his tongue along that softness. Daniel let out a stunned gasp that was almost a sob. He shook and suddenly his weight was resting fully on Jack, groin to groin, hand to chest. Jack anchored Daniel's hand more firmly and pulled him closer with his free arm.

Daniel tucked his face against Jack's neck, breath warm and heavy against his skin. He slid his free hand around Jack's shoulders, and for a moment, it felt like Daniel was trying to press them into one being. Then Jack shuddered as Daniel's tongue delicately traced the pulse points in his neck. He tilted his head further, groaning when Daniel took the offered skin gently between his teeth, perfect pressure sending shockwaves of pleasure through Jack.

Jack rested his temple against Daniel's shoulder, as Daniel continued to nip and lick at his neck, soft and gentle, never hard enough to leave a mark, and, God, how Jack wanted it harder, found himself pressing upward toward Daniel's teeth, letting out a frustrated growl as Daniel backed off again.

Cupping the back of Daniel's neck, Jack followed him as he leaned in closer, lower, slightly harder bites along the collarbone, below the neckline, Fraiser might see but would never say anything. Wonderful, warm spangles of pleasure/pain spread across his chest, as Daniel's mouth continued working, as his hand moved against Jack's chest, opening, spreading, one finger just circling a nipple. Jack gripped tighter, became aware of the full spread of arousal, of the hardness between them, they were rubbing again, Daniel rolling his hips into Jack with beautiful, focused, single-minded intent.

It was heaven and everything he'd ever dreamed and not nearly enough. He needed to be closer, skin to skin. He freed his arm from between them, tugging at Daniel's shirt, feeling Daniel's surprised, delighted laugh dance across his chest before Daniel pulled back enough for them to slip his shirt over his head. Daniel dipped his head a bit, an embarrassed smile barely there, as Jack looked at him. For the first time he could look all he liked, head-on.

Jack had always thought that Daniel was gorgeous; he'd felt like he'd been hit by a truck the first time he'd laid eyes on him. But now -- whether it was the years of history between them, or the fact that he'd been gone, or maybe Oma had returned him with some ethereal remnant of Ascension -- now, Daniel was literally breathtaking. Smooth, golden skin that Jack just had to touch, so warm beneath his hands, covering newly toned, hard muscle that Jack was still getting used to since Daniel's return. Dusky pink nipples had Daniel shivering and panting when Jack slowly pinch-rubbed them between fingers and thumb.

He leaned up and placed a single, soft, lingering kiss against Daniel's heart, feeling the strong beat against his lips. Daniel shook his head and looked at him, his eyes dark with desire, and complex waves of joy and sadness and regret and hope.

"I never knew, Jack," he whispered, dropping small kisses across Jack's cheeks and forehead. "I never even suspected." He sounded almost apologetic, as if he didn't already carry enough weight on his shoulders. They both did, they always had, and they'd played it too close to the vest for too long.

Jack intercepted Daniel's scattered kisses with his mouth, a light pressure and then smiled wryly. "I never knew about you. And you weren't _supposed_ to know about me."

Daniel shifted his weight slightly, adjusting the pressure on his knees, and Jack closed his eyes at the sudden heat and friction in just the right place, feeling a moist surge of pre-come dampen his briefs.

"No, you covered pretty well." Daniel's voice was steady, but his hands were roaming across Jack's skin as if he were committing it to memory. Their cocks were rock hard and jammed together; Jack could feel the throb of each heartbeat between them. And Daniel wanted to have a conversation. 

"Daniel, if I promise to discuss our respective reasons and methods for staying closeted, even to each other, as long as you want at a later date, do you think we can maybe get to that blow job you mentioned?" He cast his eyes down to where their bodies met, and Daniel followed, looking vaguely surprised to remember that his dick was hard and ready for action.

He looked back up at Jack and smirked as he slowly licked his lips. "You're overdressed," he commented, eyeing Jack's trousers as if he were trying to open the fly with just the power of his mind. And damn, that would be...

But then Daniel kneed backward, tugging at Jack's arms, pulling him forward toward the middle of the room, onto the extraordinarily soft blankets. Daniel's pushed him onto his back with intent, a firm strength that would not be denied. Jack went with it, feeling the warm fur tickling his back and the cool absence of Daniel's body heat against his chest. Then Daniel was unbuttoning Jack's fly, fingers deftly slipping each button free, knuckles deliberately teasing Jack's dick as he went. A slight tap to Jack's hip had him lifting his butt enough for Daniel to slip his pants and briefs out from under him, down his legs and off somewhere to the side.

Daniel knelt back on his heels, visually examining every part of Jack, slowly taking inventory. Jack swore he could feel Daniel's stare touching him. He felt like one of Daniel's artifacts; Daniel was using the same approach, thoroughly mapping out what he wanted to do before he even touched anything. Jack's cock jumped at the thought of Daniel handling him that way.

"Jack," Daniel breathed as he carefully leaned over and laid a series of soft kissed on Jack's inner thighs. Jack groaned and spread his legs wider; he could feel Daniel's breath on his balls, hot and moist, and he tried to push forward, but Daniel stilled him with a hand on his hip, thumb stroking almost hypnotically along the sensitive skin around his hipbone. Jack closed his eyes and let the tease build.

He was so caught up in the sensations that he couldn't stifle a loud cry as his cock was suddenly surrounded by wet heat, Daniel's tongue working along the shaft, and God, Daniel had taken him so deep, was swallowing around him, his throat muscles massaging the head of Jack's penis. And still that firm hand was stroking Jack's hip, Daniel's other hand running back and forth across Jack's belly, making soft circles and gentle lines, and just when Jack was at the edge, couldn't hold back, it had been too long since anyone had touched him this way, had to come, had to come, then Daniel pulled back, light suction, swirling his tongue around the head, wrapping a hand around the base. He bobbed lightly up and down, his eyes half-shadowed as he looked up at Jack, pulling up far enough for Jack to see Daniel's lips wrapped beautifully around his cock, before he plunged back down, a sampling of the range of his technique, and somewhere under the intense growing wave of pleasure Jack knew there was jealousy -- that Daniel had become so goddamn good at this with someone else -- and regret -- that he could have had this years ago -- but they were academic at this point because with a tight burst of heat, he was coming, hard, deep in Daniel's mouth, his throat, and Daniel was greedily swallowing him down, taking everything Jack could give. Daniel moaned around Jack's dick, as he kept suckling as Jack slowly came down, in no hurry to pull off, cleaning him thoroughly as he finally did. Planting a final kiss on the head of Jack's cock, Daniel finally pulled himself up level with Jack, lying close but so carefully not too close.

Jack rolled to the side, feeling a paradoxical combination of energized and completely wiped, and kissed Daniel, groaning when he found the taste of himself all over Daniel's tongue and teeth. He deepened the kiss, fucking his tongue into Daniel's mouth. Daniel plastered himself against Jack, shaking with need.

"Will you fuck me?" he whispered into Daniel's mouth, segueing into another long, hot, wet kiss before Daniel pulled back.

"No. We don't have any lube, and you've already--"

Jack shut him up with another kiss, tugging gently at this lower lip, enjoying the way Daniel's words stuttered to silence, the way silence gave way to that low, needy moan. He groped for his discarded pants, pulling the tube of surgical lube out of the pocket one-handed (and why the hell Fraiser had included that in the kit was beyond him, but he was very grateful).

"It'll be good, trust me," Jack added, pressing the tube into Daniel's hands before he ran his hand down the smooth, warm skin of Daniel's trunk, followed the angle of his hip, moved forward to touch his cock.

Daniel's eyes fluttered shut at the touch. He was so hard under Jack's hand that Jack didn't think it would take more than a couple of strokes to bring him off. But their interaction had to be 'meaningful,' which to Jack translated to intimate, and he didn't want to take any chances.

"Condoms," Daniel abruptly said, opening his eyes. "Unless that's another gap in my memory, they're not exactly standard gear, and I know I didn't bring any, so..."

"Have you had sex with anyone since you got back?" Jack asked. Daniel shook his head. "And I've... well, it's been a while for me. Long enough that I can tell you I'm clean. I think it'll be okay."

Daniel stared at him intently, searchingly. Jack could see the hundred questions whirling through his mind. Daniel reached out and slowly stroked two fingers lightly down Jack's cheek, followed the line of his jaw. Jack dipped his head, and brought Daniel's hand close, pressing a gentle kiss on his palm. He looked back up at Daniel, who nodded.

Daniel looked at the lube in his hand, then looked back at Jack. Jack smiled at Daniel, encouragement, permission, he wasn't sure which it was that Daniel needed, but it worked. Daniel returned the smile with a hungry kiss.

"Now you're overdressed," Jack murmured against his lips.

"Easily fixed," came the answer as Daniel hopped to his feet and efficiently stripped off pants, briefs, and socks. Jack rolled up to his side and watched. Daniel didn't make a show of it; it was nothing that Jack hadn't seen dozens of times before in the locker room, medical emergencies, off-world overnights, but somehow now it was the sexiest thing Jack had ever seen.

Nudity had never bothered Daniel; whether as a result of his multi-cultural formative years, a defense mechanism from later with classmates years ahead of him, or simply the fact that he had a beautiful body and knew it, Jack couldn't tell, and didn't particularly care at this point. He watched as Daniel stood there and looked around thoughtfully, followed the slight sway of his rigid cock as it stood out from his groin, let his eyes trace the curve and angle of his neck and back as he leaned down, gathered up some of the rugs from the side and brought them over, appreciated the curve of his hip as he knelt next to Jack, again silently encouraging him to lift, folding and placing the blankets underneath Jack's abdomen and angling him back down, Jack's head now resting on his hands, his butt lifted and presented to Daniel's gaze. A bolt of heat shot through him, excitement at his own vulnerability. Never before had he been in this position, never had he let himself be completely open -- hard, fast fucks against a wall, one time on his knees, but always with some purchase, some way to disengage, to retreat if it became necessary.

The soft snick of the bottle being thumbed open sounded loud in the room, but instead of raising Jack's alarms, he found himself relaxing even further, surprised at how much he wanted this. No, how much he needed this. The thought that somehow he was experiencing the same effects as Daniel idly wandered through his mind, only to be obliterated when Daniel softly rested one hand on the small of his back. Daniel waited for a moment, giving Jack one last chance to back out he supposed, before he leaned over and spread soft, warm kisses up and down Jack's spine.

Jack's soft hum of approval deepened as he felt Daniel's slick fingers slowly sweep down his ass, just a light glide of pressure, a gentle rub to spread the lube around his hole. More stroking, then a small dip inside, just the tip of a finger slowly massaging the muscle inside. Jack felt a twinge deep inside him and bit his cheek to stifle the moan that he was sure Daniel would misinterpret, instead hiking his hips back as much as he was able to meet that infuriatingly patient finger.

Daniel's mouth was exploring Jack's back, less kissing and more tasting now, but Jack felt his smile against his skin. Then Daniel's finger was gone, but before Jack could complain, it was back, more lube that felt cold against Jack's heat, and then Daniel was pushing in, slow but unrelenting. Jack breathed into it and tried to relax, tried to concentrate on the burgeoning pleasure he felt rather than the slight burn. After giving Jack a pause to get used to the feeling, Daniel started moving his finger inside Jack, twisting and stroking and he was so close.

"God!" Jack's voice was hoarse as Daniel found his prostate, and the twinge Jack had been feeling tripled.

Daniel paused. "Too much?" he asked softly.

"No. Feels good," Jack answered, as surprised as he imagined Daniel was. There was no way he was going to get hard again this soon, but this felt so good. The desire to come with Daniel inside him was strong, and he wished he had waited, never mentioned the damn blow job, but he hadn't known; it had never felt like this before. And fuck, now that was two fingers, opening him and stretching him and keeping that low-burn of arousal going.

"More," he demanded. He wanted it now, wanted it to be Daniel's dick opening him up, God, never wanted that before, wanted it so bad right the fuck now, but it had been way too long. Jack could ride out the pain, but he had no doubt it would turn Daniel off faster than...

Three fingers, just there, just right. "Fuck yeah," he growled, the endorphin rush and the prostate stimulation combining into something fucking fantastic as Daniel expertly worked his body. And then nothing, and Jack was panting into the rugs under his face, clenching on air, comeoncomeoncomeon!Daniel, till finally he felt the fleshy head of Daniel's cock lining up, and pushing, pushing, popping through the resistance, through the burn, and Jack felt himself closing tightly around him.

Daniel groaned, and stilled once he was fully seated within Jack, arching down and resting his forehead against Jack's shoulder blades. His breaths were erratic, sending shivers down Jack's spine. Jack experimentally tightened his muscles and felt Daniel's cock twitch, sending a new shower of pleasure through him. And then Daniel straightened, settled his hands on Jack's hips and began to move, small movements at first, working up to a smooth glide almost all the way out and back in. And then he pulled at Jack's hips as he pushed in, holding them together as deep as he could get, soft noises -- more than breath, less than words -- punctuating the jerking motion of his hips.

"Daniel," Jack moaned, and he reached an arm back, clasping his hand against Daniel's, the both of them locked in place as Daniel came with a ragged cry, gasping, emptying himself into Jack, his fingers flexing under Jack's hand as a moment crystallized into eternity and then shifted back. Daniel laid against Jack's back, sweat-slicked and boneless. Somehow, Jack batted the blankets out from underneath him and slowly shifted them to stretch out on their sides. They lay there for a few minutes, just breathing.

Then Daniel mumbled something about cleaning up and carefully withdrew from Jack's body. Jack hid his wince at the unpleasant sensation and then turned to face Daniel, keeping a hand on his side. "There's no hurry," he responded. "We've got the better part of a day left before we have to check in."

Daniel's eyes were closed, and he looked, well, he looked like he'd just had incredible sex, but there was something else. He shook his head. "We need to test this, see if it worked."

And so they cleaned up as best they could, and dressed. But it felt like Daniel was a million miles away; every time Jack said something, Daniel took an extra beat before responding. Jack put it down to worry that this hadn't worked; but it was like someone had thrown a switch, reopened that chasm between them, and he didn't know what to do or say to fix it. They agreed that Jack would take a half-hour walk around the shrine, while Daniel went to sit with Teal'c.

30 minutes of really boring sightseeing later, Jack returned to find Daniel animatedly talking with Teal'c and 'feeling just fine.'

"I want to head back to the SGC, have Janet run those blood tests again, just to make sure, but I feel, well, fine."

Jack didn't miss Teal'c's questioning look as Daniel headed to the other room to grab his things. He just shrugged and tried to ignore the unsettled feeling in his gut. On the walk back, Daniel continued talking -- to Teal'c -- about other interesting rituals he'd encountered over the years. Walaak met them at the gate carrying congratulations from the priests on Daniel's apparently successful recovery, and wishing them all well.

#

After the post-mission exams were completed, with extra blood-draws for Daniel, they all sat down for the debrief. Daniel declined to give specifics about the addition to the ritual, except to say that it was a personal issue. Teal'c nodded solemnly, and Jack added that since they didn't have anyone else in the recently Descended club, he didn't see any security issues with continuing relations with the planet.

Fraiser smiled in that way she did when things were turning out right, but she didn't quite know why. "Whatever you did, Daniel, it worked. All of your blood panels were perfectly normal. I think we're in the clear."

Hammond nodded. "I know we are all very happy to hear that. Dr. Jackson, it's been a tough couple of days. Why don't you go home and get some rest?"

Daniel nodded. "Yes. I think that would be good," he replied slowly.

"Well, then, if there's nothing else?" Hammond looked around the table and stood. "Thank you, everyone."

Daniel was the first one up, as quickly as propriety allowed, and headed for the door. He turned when Jack called to him with a sweet half-smile and a wave. Jack could hear Daniel's voice in his head, _'Thanks for the memories,'_ and damn it, he still didn't trust in them, in what had happened, in Jack. Jack's whole body was tense with anger as Daniel shrugged and turned away.

He went to pursue Daniel, to yell, to shake some sense into the man, but Hammond called him back. Regardless of personal issues, Jack was still 2IC, and with SG-1 down to give Daniel some time to recover and SG-11 still barely able to sit up by themselves, there was a mission schedule to re-examine and re-prioritize. So by the time Jack was knocking on Daniel's door several hours later, he had had plenty of time to calm down.

He watched Daniel walk through the living room on his way to the front door. They still had plenty of memories left to make, and Jack wasn't leaving until he'd convinced Daniel of that.

But when he opened the door, Daniel smiled widely. "You're here," he said, stepping back to allow Jack in. "I wasn't sure."

"I was," Jack replied as he stepped into the house. "I still am." With a smile, he made sure to close the door firmly behind him.

###


End file.
